Fed Gov Today

10:24

Fix It or Trust It: Tim Soltis on Restructuring...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/05/27

Today, we explore a pivotal moment for agency leaders as budget season intensifies on Capitol Hill. With funding and restructuring requests on the table, Francis speaks with Tim Soltis, former Deputy Controller at the Office of Management and Budget, about what it takes to turn policy ideas into operational success. Soltis brings insights from his recent article, where he proposes a bold restructuring concept: lean, centralized leadership teams running core mission operations in key agencies ...

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14:03

The Pentagon’s Software Awakening: Trust, Tech & the...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/05/22

In today’s conversation you’ll hear why software is now just as critical as hardware in modern military operations—and what the Department of Defense is doing to keep pace with this shift. Former Deputy Navy CIO Commander, Julie Vida, joins Francis to explain how evolving battlefield realities, from GPS denial to cyber threats, are driving a transformation in how the Pentagon develops, acquires, and deploys software. You’ll learn how the Defense Department’s current focus on agile development...

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16:59

AI, Ethics & Energy: What 10,000 Voices Say About the...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/05/20

Today, we dive deep into the future of artificial intelligence in government, guided by a remarkable dataset: over 10,000 responses to the Trump administration’s request for information on a new federal AI action plan. Former Department of Commerce CIO and now president of Cambio Digital Transformations, Simone Szykman, joins the show to discuss the five key themes he and his AI assistant—ChatGPT—extracted from the public’s feedback. Simone reflects on the challenges and implications of each ...

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28:29

From Bureaucracy to Breakthroughs: TMF’s Big Bet on...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/05/19

The Fed Gov Today TV Show airs on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. E.T. on ABC 7. You can also watch on Demand on Youtube. Listen to Fed Gov Today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anytime at FedGovToday.com.

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8:15

Zero Trust, One Mission: DoD’s Cyber Revolution...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/05/15

Will Schmitt, Chief of the Technical Portfolio Management Division, joins the show from TechNet Cyber in Baltimore. He reveals how DoD is categorizing Zero Trust approaches into three key courses of action (COAs): legacy uplift strategies, commercial service providers (like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Oracle), and standalone government-operated environments such as Dell-hosted clouds. Schmitt explains how each solution undergoes rigorous functional assessments—including 91 targeted activit...

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10:32

From Legacy to Lethal: DISA’s Mission to Turn Tech...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/05/14

Colonel Jeffrey Strauss of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) joins the program to discuss one of the Department of Defense’s most urgent challenges: technical debt. Colonel Strauss explains how divesting from legacy technology—sometimes as granular as removing individual network cards—frees up capacity and resources that can be reinvested in modern solutions. He likens the effort to personal debt management: eliminating outdated systems piece by piece to enable a stronger, more ag...

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8:24

Retirement, Reinvented: The TSP’s Bold New Moves for...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/05/08

In this episode of Fed Gov Today, Francis Rose sits down with Jim Kaplan, Director of External Affairs at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, to explore how the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is modernizing to meet the evolving needs of federal employees and service members. From mobile app growth to overseas outreach and educational tools, Kaplan reveals how the TSP is becoming more user-centric than ever before. Kaplan opens with a striking figure: over 30% of TSP account logins now ...

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18:08

Guardrails and Governance: Building a Data-Driven...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/05/06

In this episode of Fed Gov Today, Francis Rose welcomes Kshmendra Paul, one of the federal government’s most influential voices in data strategy, to reflect on two decades of evolving federal data policy and implementation. Paul, who has served as the Chief Data Officer at the VA, Program Manager for the Information Sharing Environment (ISE), and in key roles at the Department of Energy and the Department of Justice, shares candid insights into the progress and pitfalls of federal data usage....

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11:03

The $2 Trillion Problem: How the Pentagon’s Property...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/05/01

Today, Alissa Czyz, Director of Defense Capabilities and Management at the Government Accountability Office (GAO), joins Francis to expose a critical, costly challenge facing the Defense Department: mismanaged real property. Alissa shares how the Pentagon oversees a staggering portfolio of more than 700,000 facilities valued at $2.2 trillion, but a lack of consistent data across the military services is undermining its ability to manage and maintain these assets effectively. Alissa explains t...

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19:19

AI vs. AI: Why the Future of Cybersecurity Means...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/04/30

Today, former NSA Technical Director and Synack co-founder, Mark Kuhr, breaks down the rapid evolution of generative AI, agentic AI, and their deep impact on cybersecurity across government. Mark explains that the proliferation of AI tools, like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, creates urgent new risks for agencies around data control and network security. He stresses the importance of securing sensitive data by encouraging the use of government-developed AI tools instead of consumer-grade models...

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19:40

Why Defense Tech Must Stay Flexible: Inside the New...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/04/29

Today, we dive deep into the critical shifts happening in defense acquisition strategies. Former Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Nick Guertin, joins the program to unpack the Defense Department’s new guidance mandating a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) to building military capabilities. Nick shares behind-the-scenes insights on how modularity and open standards aren't just technical buzzwords—they are essential to staying ahead in a world where adversaries are evolving rapidly. Nick ref...

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28:29

One Atlantic, All Fronts: The Navy’s New Way to Win...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/04/27

The Fed Gov Today TV Show airs on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. E.T. on ABC 7. You can also watch on Demand on Youtube. Listen to Fed Gov Today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anytime at FedGovToday.com.

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28:29

Arctic Crossroads & Pacific Frontlines: How the Coast...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/04/25

The Fed Gov Today TV Show airs on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. E.T. on ABC 7. You can also watch on Demand on Youtube. Listen to Fed Gov Today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anytime at FedGovToday.com.

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13:03

Can the Gov Finally Hack the FAR? Stan Soloway on...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/04/24

Today we dive into the transformative potential of a new executive order that could finally shake up the federal acquisition system. Francis is joined by Stan Soloway, President and CEO of Celero Strategies and former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition Reform, for an insightful conversation on what the executive order really means—and why it could be a rare turning point after decades of inertia. Soloway peels back the rhetoric surrounding the EO and homes in on its substantive...

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12:14

Beyond the Buzzword: The Blueprint for Zero Trust...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/04/23

Today, the spotlight is on zero trust—not just as a cybersecurity strategy, but as a cultural and operational shift across government. With the Department of Defense aiming to fully operationalize its zero trust strategy by 2027, the pressure is on agencies to go beyond checklists and truly embed zero trust principles into their missions. Joining Francis is Ryan Zacha, Solution Architect at Booz Allen, who shares deep insights into what it takes to make zero trust work—beyond the buzzwords. R...

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14:06

The Pentagon’s Workforce Shake-Up: Risks, Realities,...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/04/22

Today’s conversation turns to one of the most pressing and controversial issues facing the Department of Defense: a sweeping mandate for workforce reduction. Former Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) Dov Zakheim joins the show to unpack the urgent memo issued by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, which gives military services and agencies just two weeks to analyze and recommend personnel cuts. Zakheim warns that while the intention behind the workforce realignment—boosting efficiency and m...

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10:32

Cyber on the Frontlines: Building the DoD Workforce...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/04/17

We dive deep into the future of the Defense Department’s cyber and technology workforce with retired Lieutenant General Susan Lawrence, former Army CIO/G-6 and current President and CEO of AFCEA International. As one of the key leaders at the recent 2025 Cyber Workforce Summit, General Lawrence shares exclusive insights into the event’s genesis, its explosive growth, and the collaborative efforts between government and industry to address the critical cyber talent gap. General Lawrence also r...

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12:56

IRS Strengthens Financial Systems: How Internal...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/04/15

Francis welcomes Dawn Simpson, Director of Financial Management and Assurance at the Government Accountability Office (GAO), to discuss the IRS's notable improvements in internal controls and the reliability of its financial data. Dawn outlines how the IRS addressed 21 prior-year deficiencies in information systems, leading to the removal of a previously reported significant deficiency. She explains the key areas of progress — particularly in access controls and configuration management — and...

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15:56

GSA’s Bold New Mandate: Emily Murphy on Rebuilding...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/04/10

Former GSA Administrator, Emily Murphy, joins Francis to break down the implications of an executive order tasking GSA to once again become the government’s central buying authority. Murphy shares her insights on what it will take to successfully transition procurement functions from multiple agencies into GSA, including the structural, personnel, and cultural shifts required to make it work. Francis and Emily explore the lessons learned from early pilots with SBA and OPM, the complexities of...

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13:28

How the TSP Hit $900 Billion — And Why Nearly 90% of...

Fed Gov Today ·

2025/04/08

It’s business as usual at one key government agency—even as the federal workforce faces uncertainty. Jim Kaplan, Director of External Affairs at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, joins the show to talk about a major milestone: the G Fund’s 38th birthday. Kaplan reflects on the TSP’s growth from its humble beginnings to serving over 7.2 million participants with $900 billion in assets. He breaks down why the G Fund remains a foundational piece of many retirement portfolios,...

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